What are some good ground materials for horse arenas?

Question

ive done the easy part...i put the fencing and all around the arena. thing is, in the country i live in, white sand is very expensive and almost impossible to find. any ideas for the ground materials for the arena? ps: its a horse arena.

Answer 1

clay works well because you just wet it and drag it. It's really soft...

Answer 2

outside is perfect for sand or dirt, no grass!!! the horse will want to eat!!!. inside sand or a combo of dirt and sand. make sure before you train/ride that you gently moisten the sand/dirt or you will be choking on dust!!

Answer 3

i live in the country and we either use grass or regular dirt.....my horses still get good footing while barrel racing and reigning and cutting

Answer 4

ive always worked/competed in sand or dirt sometimes wood chips.

Answer 5

sand, rubber chips, wood chips, clay, plus a mixture of them. also, my barn has a turf (just regular grass) arena. it takes more work than a golf course though. lol.

Answer 6

A mixture of sand and chopped rubber is good :]

Answer 7

I've seen sand...DUSTY

I've seen wood chips...DUSTY

I've heard about the rubber chips and seen them at work on TV.

If I had the money and an arena, that is the way I'd go!

Here, check this site out.  Explains each one in detail:

http://www.infohorse.com/arenafooting.as...

Answer 8

You did not say if your arena is open or enclosed which will make a difference in material.  In a covered arena, there are many types of river clay to select from that are excellent, easy to clean, and maintains the surface area very nicely.  Non-covered arenas in my area are usually 3 layers of hardpack (gravel or shell), sand, and clay.  I have read about using pebble-sized rubber pieces for the top layer but I have not seen any in place.    There are professional arena companies that will give you advice about your surface either on the phone or in written brochures.  good luck.

Answer 9

Shredded rubber is expensive but awesome - very easy to maintain and lasts a LONG time.  You should put it on top of something, such as dirt or sand or a mix of the two.  It's very comfy, dust-free, and will stand up to a lot of inclement weather.  You can even get it in different colors... ;)